Where Did The Speed Go?

Saturday

Kari and I managed to get out on the trails together for the first time in many months! It sure was nice to do that and it made my legs recover very well after last nights race. We ran Hartley to SHT and back to the house via Vermilion road. A good run.

Totals: 7.2 miles

Friday

I was going to get up and go for a quick three mile jaunt this morning but decided against it since I had to report to work early in order to make it out in time for my first ever Park Point 5 Miler. I have lived in Duluth for thirteen years and have never run that race. It never seemed appealing to me. In years past it seemed as though I was beat up from grandma's or injured or just plain ol' unmotivated at this point in the season. Not this year. I was gearing up for this race as soon as I knew my legs were going to let me, which was this week. I finally feel like I am clicking on all cylinders following a brutal marathon one month ago. Except for the speed. I was talking with my wife about how some people don't seem to really slow down year after year and I seem to have lost my shorter distance speed. It seemed like running 5:10-5:15 was second nature for the short distances but now have to struggle to stay under 5:30, and in the same month can maintain 5:35 for a half marathon. Then she reminded me I have neglected true "speed secessions" for the last three or more years and to blame it on that. I think she is right. Most of the last few years I have gotten away from speed work and just ran 'tempo' type training for true workouts. My new training program came yesterday and I have a bit more short speed worked into the next few weeks to attempt to wake up those fibers and see if I can resurrect some turnover. Let's hope so.

The race went as well as it could as I was rigging like no other just past four miles. A crazy side stitch hit me and I had to back off just a bit in order to finish up. In the process I lost a position and was unable to make it up. I was a bit disappointed as I wanted to get under the 26:45 USATF age-specific standard and I just missed it.

Finish was 7th overall with a time of 27:00.

Totals: 9+ miles (warm up, race, cool down)